Step 11: The Shop is Done Just In Time For a Hammer In

Step 12: Thoughts, Lessons and Distractions

All updates will be posted and questions answered on this step. Thoughts, The shop is solid and serves its purpose as was designed. ...

I have run a blacksmiths shop for the past five years it was outside with the tools on their racks out in the weather this was not a problem when I was home every day top use them and keep them shiny and oiled. being off in college I decided to protect my shop from the elements and make a small shop slightly under 200Sq ft with a gravel floor and high ceilings. I will show the process I followed to complete my shop. not all steps were photographed at the time of completion but each step will cover the conclusion of one Saturdays of work on my shop or one major step which took several weekends to complete . my total budget was $1000 USD the gravel pushed the shop over budget by about $50.

The masonry forge is not included in the cost of the shop because it was constructed three or four years ago.

Step 1: CAD

The shop design was submitted to the Housing association in a rough CAD draft but it was enough to get permission to build it. it is a basic pole barn with an open high ceiling 12dx16wx11h

The drawings were done with Autodesk Inventor 2012 I should have used Autodesk Rivet but I used inventor.

In this step the only important thing is the frame the mockup of the siding and roof are in important. I ended up adding some cross bracing later on not because the building was unstable but because it did not look right with out it.

FIRST, GREAT JOB ON THE PICS AND THE EXPLANATIONS. Second, is it possible you have the plans or reasonable explanation as to how your masonry forge was designed and built from the ground up? Would love to see it in here, chimney and all.